The Crime Writers’ Association

Librarians Asked to Nominate Authors for CWA Dagger in the Library 2019

Libraries are now voting for the winner of the Dagger in the Library 2019, after Martin Edwards carried off the award in 2018. The CWA’s Dagger in the Library is a prize for a body of work by a crime writer that users of libraries particularly admi...


Dark Stories and Disturbing Tales with Emily Koch, Jane Corry, Jane Shemilt and Melanie Golding

These best-selling authors, all writers of powerful thrillers, discuss the art of writing and why psychological suspense is so popular during these turbulent times. How do you write a thriller that makes you stay up all night, feverishly turning t...


The Entry Process

The Entry Process There are four kinds of Dagger, differentiated by how they are nominated. See below for an explanation of the different entry processes, and who may nominate for each Dagger. Please do not hesitate to contact the Dagger Liaison Or...


Diamond Crime @ Narbeth Museum

Diamond Crime at Chapter One Saturday 15th October 2022 Authors from the new indie Welsh crime publisher, Diamond Crime, will be visiting Chapter One the Bookshop, Narberth Museum. 11am to 12pm Creating Characters a workshop with Jacqueline Ha...


My Debut Dagger Experience, by Biba Pearce

I first found out about the CWA Debut Dagger several years ago from a writing group on Facebook. I'd been writing for a long time, an embarrassingly long time, with not much to show for it. Granted, I'd been juggling motherhood with a full-time job...


ILP John Creasey First Novel Dagger

ILP John Creasey First Novel Dagger The ILP John Creasey First Novel Dagger (formerly the ILP John Creasey New Blood Dagger) is for the best crime novel by a first-time author of any nationality with their first novel of any kind published in the UK...


Benefits for Corporate and Associate Members

Benefits for Corporate and Associate Members We offer a range of benefits for corporate and associate members. Take advantage of yours below. The CRA website and newsletters The CRA website and accompanying newsletters CRA News and Case File...


Third time lucky with the Debut Dagger, by Anna Caig

I’ve wanted to write crime fiction ever since I read Death on the Nile as a teenager and was blown away that something so clever, so dazzling and brilliant, could even exist. But life takes over, doesn’t it. It was only in 2017, when I saved up e...


How Did I Get Ready for Entering the Debut Dagger? by Sherryl Clark

Well, first I had to get past my nerves! I’d written mostly children’s books, and to be honest, my first couple of drafts of my novel received the feedback, ‘sounds too much like a young adult novel’. Oops. I knew that really I needed to do a...


Debut Dagger

Emerging Author Dagger (Debut Dagger) Announcements Congratulations to our 2024 Longlist Authors! See below for details. Shortlist: CrimeFest, Bristol on Friday 10 May, early evening Winner: Dagger Awards Dinner, evening of Thursday 4 Jul...


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